Standing in front of him, Ailis felt full of anticipation in a way she’d never imagined. He lifted her wet hair so that it fell on top of the cloak of leaves. He was much taller than she, the top of her head only barely coming to his chin. He lowered his face to just over her hair and breathed in, his breath stirring the strands at the top of her scalp. He drank in the smell of her, then stepped around her so that he stood at her back, his hands lightly on either of her shoulders. He spoke near her right ear.“What do you see?” he asked. She looked at the cave wall in front of her. Wavering line drawings of men fled from a dark, threatening smear that reached for them with spiky hands. In the next scene, one of the man-drawings approached the dark thing with a torch held aloft. The image after that showed the man still with his torch, but the darkness had been transformed into a glowing orb with rays like the sun reaching all around. As she turned her head, looked above, below, and around the cavern, she saw the same scene acted out again and again in different styles. In some of the images, it was clearly a woman who carried the torch. In others she could see embraces between a woman and a Beast, or a woman and a man. She saw the seasons turn in the drawings, saw fallow fields grow fertile, and again and again, darkness transformed.“I see us,” she said. “Everywhere.” She was so warm she was beginning to sweat. As though he’d read her thoughts, the cloak dropped away from her shoulders, leaving her bare. Even with the garment gone, his own warmth still blazed behind her like the sun on the wall in front of her. His sex nudged against her buttocks, and his chest pressed against her back as he stepped closer to her.”

NIGHT HEAT BY LEIGH WYNFIELD EXCERPT

Rip’s gaze drifted to the Healer’s honey-blond hair, which was swept up into a messy ponytail. Loose pieces framed a strong face with sumptuous lips and deep blue-green eyes. Not beautiful, but pretty enough to be a problem.Like himself, the men and women who followed him had committed crimes against the Inter-world Council, civil disobedience such as writing opposition literature and protesting policy too vigorously for the Council’s taste, but life in prison had turned them hard. Since the planet had been abandoned, they’d been reduced to doing anything they could to stay alive. Even he had killed and would, he suspected, kill again -- a far cry from organizing the protest rallies that had put him here. And while there were women enough to go around now that half his men were sick, the Healer was tasty enough to draw attention.His request for her help put her under his personal protection. The thought pleased him on some level, and he allowed his body to move half a step closer to hers.When she glided away, he caught her arm. Her gaze jerked to his and he felt again the surprisingly strong attraction between them he’d noticed outside the tunnels where the few remaining administration personnel had barricaded themselves. He’d never even seen her before today, so how could he feel this way?He’d gone without a woman for two years now, and he was probably just feeling the effects of it. He should take someone to bed. Soon. Maybe the Healer. He brushed her lips with his gaze, watching the flare of surprise cruise through her eyes. Something told him she would be different from the others he’d bedded. Soft, sexy, passionate. Right.He yanked his thoughts out of his pants. His men needed him now. “Stay close to me, or I won’t be able to protect you.” He held her with the intense stare he sometimes used with his men. The one that said don’t-screw-with-me.She raised an eyebrow, but nodded. Not backing down.

SOUL KISSES BY ANGELA KNIGHT EXCERT

Prologue

Beth Chase leaned close to the canvas to add a dot of gold highlight to one painted brown eye. Stepping back, she tilted her head and studied the portrait she’d been working on for the past two weeks.Her sister sat in a spill of white lace and seed pearls, her tall, handsome groom standing behind her in a dark and elegant suit. Valerie’s big gray eyes glowed with happiness, and Cade looked downright besotted as he gazed down at her. Beth decided she’d caught both likenesses pretty well. Except ... the painting still needed something.An idea struck, inspiring a wicked grin. She dropped her brush in the jar of turpentine and chose a sable one that was even finer. Humming under her breath, Beth leaned forward and added a tiny, delicate shape between the groom’s painted lips – the barest hint of a fang. Not enough for a casual observer to notice, but her brother-in-law would spot it immediately. Cade McKinnon, former Texas Ranger turned vampire, would probably laugh his ass off. What better gift for the couple’s fifth wedding anniversary? Her portable phone rang from amid the litter of paint tubes and brushes on her art table, jolting Beth from her artistic haze. She gave the phone a wary glance and picked up, hoping it wasn’t Joaquin Ramirez again. She really wasn’t up to another creepy conversation. She really needed to get caller ID. “Hello?”“What’s wrong?” Val’s creamy Atlanta drawl rang with instant alarm. Beth winced. She’d set off her sister’s Mommy alarm. “Nothing.”“Don’t give me that–I know that tone. Something’s bothering you.”Oh, hell, might as well come clean. Besides, she might need the help. “I’ve got an ex-boyfriend who’s pushing a little hard.”“Are you saying you’re being stalked?” Val’s voice took on that God-help-anybody-who-threatens-my-baby-sister tone. “What’s going on? What’s he been doing?”Now Beth was beginning to feel like an idiot. “Look, it’s not that big a deal, really. I broke it off with this guy, and he’s not happy about it. I can handle it.” The line clicked as Cade picked up the other phone. “You want me to come to Atlanta and have a word with him?”It was a tempting thought. Five minutes with Cade and his psychic powers, and Joaquin would forget he even knew Beth. On the other hand, she hated the idea of turning to her vampire relatives to solve her problems. “I don’t know if you noticed, but I’m a big girl now. I can take care of myself.”“We didn’t say you couldn’t, babe,” Val said. “But back when I was a reporter...”“...You wrote a story about a stalker who ended up killing his ex.” No matter what the topic of conversation, Val had usually written a story about it.“Not a story – more like ten or fifteen. Stalkers are nothing to screw around with.” “Look, Beth, just humor us,” Cade said. “Tell us about this guy.”Well, Joaquin had gotten a little scary lately. “Not much to tell.” Brooding, she rubbed at a spot of wet Cadmium Red on her jeans. “I met him at my gallery showing last month. He seemed charming enough at first – all, good looking, had this kind of Antonio Banderas thing going...”“Let me guess – he’s married,” Val said.“I wish. He might be easier to get rid of. Anyway, after we went out a few times, I started to suspect there was something nasty under all that charm.” Needing to move, she began to pace her studio restlessly. “So a couple of days ago, I told him to get lost.”“Good,” Val said. “When you get a psychic impression that strong, you need to listen to it.”Beth frowned. She’d never been comfortable with the idea she might share her sister’s mental abilities. “I don’t know that I’d call it a psychic impression, but he definitely freaked me out.”“Are you sure this guy isn’t a vampire?” Cade was beginning to sound worried.“Joaquin?” Oh, now there was a nasty thought. She shook her head. “Can’t be. We went out five or six times, and he never gave any indication he was anything more than just a guy. A son of a bitch, but not supernatural.”“If he is a vampire, who knows what kind of game he’s playing?” Cade said. “You’re Kith, Beth. That makes you damn rare. There are vamps that’d go to any length to get their hands on a Kith female.” Few people could survive being infected by the virus that caused vampirism. Vamps called those who could the Kith, as in “kith and kin.” By transforming a Kith, a master vampire could enslave him and use the new vamp’s psychic powers to strengthen his own. Ugly as that enslavement could be for a man, a woman would suffer an even worse fate. Some vampires had very ugly tastes indeed, and would like nothing better than torturing a woman whose vampire powers could heal any injury. The possibility of falling victim to someone like that was terrifying. She’d come far too close to it once before, when she’d been kidnapped by Cade’s vampire sire, Edward Ridgemont. “Boy, that’s a disgusting thought,” Beth said, grimacing. “Come to think of it, I haven’t seen him during the day. That might be coincidence, though.”“Or it might not.” There was a long, chilly pause. “I think I should come to Atlanta.”She sighed. “Maybe that wouldn’t be a bad idea. I...” The doorbell rang, cutting her off. “Hold on a minute, there’s somebody at the door.”“Beth...”Carrying the phone, Beth walked out of her studio and down the hall to the apartment’s front door. Automatically, she checked the peephole. “Oh, hell.”It was Ramirez, tall and elegant in a charcoal Seville Row suit, his gleaming dark hair flawlessly styled. Her heart began to pound. Could Cade be right? Was he a vampire? Licking her lips, she automatically checked the deadbolt. It was locked. That was something, anyway. “Joaquin, go away or I’m calling the cops,” she called through the closed door. “I’ve told you I’m not interested.”“The problem is, my dove,” he purred back in that thick Castilian accent, “I am.” “Too bad.” Lifting the phone with a hand that shook, she turned to move away. “I’ve got to call the cops. Joaquin is at the...”The door exploded inward with a crash. With a startled yelp, Beth whirled as Ramirez shouldered through its splintered remains. “Are you nuts?” She backed away, wondering nervously if he’d broken with vampire strength. “Get the hell out!”“I don’t think so, my dove.” He looked more cruel than handsome now, his hawkish face stark with hunger and feral anticipation. When he smiled, her blood chilled. He had fangs. Well, that answered that question.Beth whirled to run, but Ramirez grabbed her before she could take another step. His grip sent pain lancing through her arms. She dropped the phone and went for his eyes with her nails. He hit her, a stunning backhand slap that sent her staggering back to trip over the coffee table. She fell, hitting the floor in a bruising tumble. Blackness crowded in. The last thing she heard was Cade roaring her name over Val’s frantic questions. “Beth? Beth, what’s happening? Be...!”

TEMPTATION IN TIME BY ALEXA AAMES EXCERPT

Ariana purred softly. She was being stroked just where she needed it most. She stretched, spreading her legs. She wanted his mouth. He had such delicious, sensual lips. He smiled, and his eyes, black as kohl, glinted with passion. “Ariana.”She woke with a start and sat up. Fear stabbed her heart. She was alone in her bed, but his touch had felt so real. She shivered. Was he getting closer? She pushed aside her panic, and, for a moment, the memory of his fingers caressing her sex, thrusting inside her came back. Her belly contracted with a throb of lust. She drew in a frustrated breath and exhaled audibly.She climbed from the bed, marched over to the walnut dresser, and pulled out a pair of sweats. She yanked them on over her damp panties, thinking about the owner of the dark eyes and sensual lips…Marcus. They’d only met once, but he’d made an indelible impression on her. Sorcerers didn’t come any sexier—or more infamous—than Marcus; he would be difficult for anyone to forget. She, on the other hand, probably wouldn’t have made much of an impression on him if she hadn’t vanished after stealing a kiss and, with it, some of his magical power.It was hard to hide from him now. Even as far as she’d traveled, he could reach the landscape of her dreams. The slightest sexual arousal seemed to draw him to her subconscious like moth to flame, which was why she avoided the intimacy she craved, tried to suppress the passion he stirred. Even now, when the dream had faded, his molten power pulsed through her, linking them, his invisible presence still nearly palpable.It had been seven years since she’d stolen that kiss. He’d already been dangerous. Just how powerful was he now? She shuddered to imagine.Celibacy was the only way to stay concealed. Unfortunately, celibacy left a lot to be desired.***Ariana swayed her hips to the reggae beat that thrummed through her coffee shop as she stirred a couple drops of coconut extract into the oversized black cup. “The Witch’s Brew” was printed on the mug in pearly white letters.“Here you go,” Ariana said, smiling at the customer.The customer winked at her and dropped a dollar into the tip jar without missing a beat in the conversation he was having on his cell phone.Simon, owner of the reggae music and the longest, neatest dread locks in Ohio, danced out into the middle of the floor. He sashayed behind the counter, twirling her around. She laughed as the customers hooted with approval at the sight of her dancing with the Jamaican.“Good news, boss lady,” Simon said, after spinning her in another twirl.“What’s that?”“Dr. Bob called from St. Luke’s Hospital. He said to tell ya, leetle Angela is in remission.”“That’s wonderful.” Ariana said, beaming. Modern medicine was truly a marvel. Of course, a healing kiss never hurt either. As she danced, she glanced over at the calendar. She’d wait at least three weeks before she visited St. Luke’s pediatric oncology ward again. This week, she’d volunteer at the Columbia burn unit. She’d heard on the news about a firefighter who’d been badly burned. The report had said he wasn’t doing well, but she knew he still had a chance to recover. She would see to that. She puckered her lips and kissed the air. Life could be wonderful.***Ariana awoke twisted in her sheets and gasping for breath. She was wearing gray terrycloth short-shorts into which her fingers had apparently found their way. Damned erotic dreams. What was she supposed to do about them? Tie up her hands before she went to bed?“Ariana.”Her breath caught in her throat. The whisper in her head had sounded far too real. She sat up, shaking off her unease. She would make herself a cup of chamomile tea and think about what to do. Maybe she could wear mittens to sleep. She turned on the light and climbed from bed. Sighing slightly in annoyance, she pulled down the ribbed tank top that had ridden up during her nighttime exploits. She padded across the beige carpet, watching her feet as she made her way to the kitchen.Then she saw them and froze. Black boots. Men’s boots encasing a man’s calves. Her heart began to hammer a protest in her chest.Her gaze rolled up his body, muscular thighs in black tights gave way to a hard naked torso where two scars slashed their way up from his navel to his left nipple. A cloak the color of midnight hung from his broad shoulders and met with black wavy hair.She knew whose face it would be, but she hesitated for a moment before looking. Dread and dizziness surrounded her. Let it be a dream. Nay, a nightmare. His mouth was curved into a slight sneer. “Hello, little thief. It has been a very long time.”She reeled backward, turning from him. There was nowhere really to run to, but her body sprung toward even a momentary escape. He caught her shoulders, and she fell back against him. The shock of being pressed against his hard, hot body was compounded when he slid an arm around her torso and his hand cupped her breast. She gasped a protest, but he ignored it. He squeezed firmly and ran his thumb over her nipple, which pebbled into a firm bead at the erotic command of his touch. Her body suddenly felt heavy with need.“Wait,” she said breathlessly.“Longer than I have already waited? I think not.” His free arm coiled around her body like a snake.“What do you intend to do?” she asked, swallowing hard.“I intend to exact payment, my lady.”She opened her mouth to speak again, but fell silent at the sound of his deep rumbling voice speaking an ancient language. She didn’t even have time to decipher the words before she felt the air rustle.The breath was sucked from her lungs as a maelstrom claimed them. She felt her body twisted and pummeled by invisible forces, and her eyes could see nothing but blackness. I’m dying. Please! Help me.

Description: Soul Kisses - Angela KnightBeth Chase learned vampires weren’t all bad when Cade McKinnon Turned – and married -- her sister, Valerie. Butsome vampires are evil, and to Beth’s horror, she finds herself kidnapped by the worst of the bunch, Joaquin Ramirez, an immortal sadist. Luckily, she’s rescued by handsome vampire cousins, Morgan and Garret Axton, who are locked in their own war with the killer. Can she find happiness with two vampires – and can they break Ramirez’s vicious hold on her very soul?

To My Readers: I’ve always intended to do a story for Beth Chase, Val’s little sister from The Forever Kiss. But it was obvious to me that Beth couldn’t have just any vampire hero—he had to be something special. In fact, an earlier attempt to write Beth’s story fizzled altogether because it wasn’t right. This one is, mostly because I gave Beth not one hero, but two.

I’ve always wondered if it would be possible to get two alpha males to share the same woman, and I finally figured out a way. I hope you have as much fun with it as I did!.Alexa Aames - Stolen MagicAriana escaped the Middle Ages after stealing a kiss of magic from the dark and sexy sorcerer, Marcus de Grey.When Marcus kidnaps and returns her to the 14th century, they begin a battle of wills and a sexual odyssey that could spell disaster for them both.

To My Readers: As a great fan of magic, history, and sensual romance, I loved writing this story, and I hope you’ll enjoy reading it.

Leigh Wynfield - Night HeatWhen Rip Bowhite leads a revolt on the prison planet called the Velopit, he never anticipates that the Inter-world Council would abandon the planet, leaving prisoners, guards, and even theadministrative personnel struggling to survive against the monsters that rule the night. With their lives at stake,Jemma, the prison’s Healer, won't allow herself to be distracted by the instant and overpowering attraction shefeels for Rip, until that passion flares to dizzying heights. As the stakes are raised and death draws near, love seems doomed in the heat of the night.

To My Readers: In the heat of the night on an abandoned prison planet, monsters circle the camp, searching for a way inside. Only one man and his ragtag band of prisoners keep the compound secure. But when illness breaks out, he must find a Healer to save them all. Love and desire rule the daylight, while fear and terror rule the night. Hold on to your hats, dear readers, and let’s go for a ride!

Jennifer Barlowe - Ailis and the BeastWhen Ailis agreed to be her village’s sacrifice to the mysterious Beast she was prepared to sacrifice her virtue, and possibly her life. But some things aren’t what they seem. In a time of ritual and mystery, Ailis and the Beast are about to discover that animal passions are just the beginning, and the greatest sacrifice may be the human heart.

To My Readers: Ailis and the Beast is a story about sex and appetite, and about how what we think we know is often just the beginning. I hope you enjoy it. Bon appetit.

4½ Stars“Secrets Volume 14 will excite readers with its diverse selection of delectable sexy tales ranging from a fourteenth century love story to a sci-fi rebel who falls for a irresistible research scientist to a trio of determined vampires who battle for the same woman to a virgin sacrifice who falls in love with a beast. A cornucopia of pure delight!” —Romantic Times BOOKclub

“Explodes with dark and delicious paranormal passions!”—Virginia Henley, New York Times Best Selling Author

“This book contains four erotic tales sure to keep readers up long into the night.”—Romance Junkies

NIGHT HEAT BY LEIGH WYNFIELDLeigh Wyndfield thrills them again in Volume 14“Night Heat is action and adventure along with a blast back to the prehistoric past. The story has everything, romance, passion, action, adventure and ravenous raptors waiting to kill the people trapped on their planet. Rip is sexy and with an alpha attitude, while Jemma is his perfect match. The love scenes are passionate with a certain desperation that will have readers turning the pages to see what happens next. Leigh Wyndfield has penned a story that will take readers back in time and keep them on the edge of their seats.”—Romance Junkies

“There is a prison revolt on the prison planet called Velopit and the prisoners are deserted by the Inter-world Council who rule the place, leaving the prisoners able to come and go as they please in the daytime hours. But also marooned on this planet is the administrative personnel who stay in their own separate quarters. No one dare venture out at night as that is the time that the night monsters attack and kill. But a deadly virus hits the prison and the healer is sent for—and the prisoner’s leader, Rip, meets the healer, Jemma.”—Romance ReviewsTEMPTATION IN TIME BY ALEXA AAMESA great opening story for Volume 14!“Temptation in Time is wonderful roam through time and one woman’s fight for independence. Marcus is a sensual sorcerer who is out for revenge, but may find something more in the process. The love scenes are steamy and the chemistry is non-stop. Alexa Aames has done an excellent job of weaving a magical tale reader's won’t soon forget.”—Romance Junkies

“Ariana is brought back in time by the sexy sorcerer, Marcus de Grey. She has been in modern times many years now and never wished to return to the Middle Ages again. But he intends to keep her with him now that he has found her again.”—Romance Reviews

SOUL KISSES BY ANGELA KNIGHT Angela Knight is back in Volume 14!!“Soul Kisses is an awesome vampire tale that introduces us to two very sensual brothers. Morgan and Garret are sexy and absolutely incredible, they set out to keep Beth save and will do it at all costs. Beth is the very lucky woman who has two men ready to attend her every need and desire. Angela Knight is known for her vampire tales of adventure and passion and Soul Kisses is another keeper.”—Romance Junkies

“This story is about vampires and a love story involving two males and one female—all in deadly danger from one very bad vampire. The two main characters from Knight’s former story, The Forever Kiss are a part of this story also.”—Romance Reviews

AILIS AND THE BEAST BY JENNIFER BARLOWE Another new author makes a great debut in Volume 14! “Ailis and the Beast is a new twist on the traditional Beauty and the Beast fairy tale. Ailis is a very special woman who tries to see past the rough exterior to the man within. The Beast is the tortured soul who has to suffer this horrible existence alone, but may find love in an unlikely ally. Jennifer Barlow has done a fantastic job retelling this fairy tale with her own twist.”—Romance Junkies

“Ailis willingly becomes the village's sacrifice to the mysterious Beast that represents the harvest. But she finds the experience much better than expected and the three nights they spend together turn into moments of love. Then, she finds out how it must end!”—Romance Reviews